Sliding, Swiveling Hybrid Tablet-Ultrabooks Debut at IFA

Toshiba Satellite 925t slides from flat to up. Image: Toshiba

Two quick takeaways from the PC news coming out of the IFA show in Berlin: Hardware manufacturers are all about Windows 8 and tablet-laptop hybrids right now. Toshiba, HP and Dell have all announced hybrid devices that will be available this fall, coinciding with the official Windows 8 launch.

The shape-shifting machines come as no surprise, considering the reference designs Intel showed off earlier this year and the number of hybrid devices that other companies announced at Computex in June. And with Windows 8 RTM (release to manufacturer) shipped, it’s time for OEMs to start enticing consumers with all of the hardware possibilities for Windows 8. Here are the details.

Toshiba Satellite 925t

Toshiba’s Satellite 925t most resembles Intel’s Cove Point reference design from earlier this year. Instead of a tablet that attaches to a keyboard by a hinge — as seen with Samsung’s hybrid device announced Wednesday — it employs a sliding mechanism. Users can configure the 925t in tablet form, with the 12.5-inch screen resting flush against the keyboard, or slide the screen out and bend it up into a standing position for a more traditional ultrabook setup.

In my hands-on time with the device, the sliding mechanism was easy enough. But bending the screen up was a bit more problematic, since you have to make sure the screen is at a specific spot. In notebook mode, the keyboard wrist rest also feels slightly too short, so your wrists hang off of the edge.

The Satellite 925t’s robust specs include an Intel Core i5 processor, Intel HD 4000 graphics and a 128GB SSD, along with all of the usual ultrabook and tablet ports and buttons, with two USB 3.0 ports, HDMI, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a button for turning off auto-rotation, and a volume rocker. All of that fits into a slim 0.8-inch thick package that weighs just over 3 pounds. Toshiba hasn’t released pricing info yet, beyond saying that the 925t will be a bit more expensive than Toshiba’s wide-screen Satellite ultrabook that starts at $1,000. The hybrid tablet-ultrabook will ship on Oct. 26.

HP Envy x2

HP Envy x2 from ultrabook to tablet. Image: HP

Even though PC giant HP isn’t getting into the Windows RT game right away, it isn’t falling behind with Windows 8. The company announced the HP Envy x2, a tablet that attaches to a keyboard for a standard ultrabook look. The 11.6-inch touchscreen tablet attaches to the keyboard with a hinge and can then close into a clamshell form. HP was light on spec details but did say that device comes with NFC, Beats Audio, and solid-state memory. The device also features an 8-megapixel camera on the back of the tablet and a front-facing HD camera. No word yet on pricing or launch date.

Dell XPS Duo 12, plus the Windows RT XPS 10

Dell’s XPS Duo 12 is another interesting take on hybrid design, with a 12.5-inch swiveling touchscreen display. Spin the screen so that it faces outward and close the device, and you’ve got a (slightly thick) tablet. Open the Duo 12 and spin the screen inward, and it becomes a standard laptop. It’s a unique yet totally pragmatic take on the hybrid PC and arguably shows the most promise of any of these designs, as long as the swiveling hinge holds up. But it’s tough to say more, since Dell hasn’t released any specs beyond saying that the XPS Duo 12 will have a 1920 x 1080 display.

Dell XPS Duo 12 does the swivel dance. Image: Dell

Dell is also one of four hardware manufacturers to have a Windows RT device ready for launch. The XPS 10 tablet has a keyboard dock, but it’s clearly a tablet-first design, which makes sense for the RT market. The 10-inch tablet runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 processor, and Dell claims the battery will last 20 hours on a single charge. Both the XPS Duo 12 and the XPS 10 will be available at the end of October, when Windows 8 launches. Dell has yet to announce prices.

Here’s The Thing With Ad Blockers

We get it: Ads aren’t what you’re here for. But ads help us keep the lights on. So, add us to your ad blocker’s whitelist or pay $1 per week for an ad-free version of WIRED. Either way, you are supporting our journalism. We’d really appreciate it.